Iggyvibal’s Weblog

Book Title: Readings in Cyber Ethics

Library Reference: None

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Readings-CyberEthics-Second-Richard-Spinello/dp/0763724106/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239751209&sr=8-1

Quote:

“We are entering a generation marked by globalization and ubiquitous computing. The second generation of computer ethics, therefore must be an era of ‘global information ethics’. The stakes are much higher, and consequently considerations and applications of information ethics must be broader, more profound, and above all effective in helping to realize a democratic and empowering technology rather than an enslaving or debilitating one”

Learning Expectation:

For this reading I expect to learn something more technical in a sense of reasoning, obviously it’s because of the title. I hope to learn what responsibilities I have as an end-user of the computer technology, and more things regarding computer and computer ethics.

Review:

In this reading/essay, James Moor talked about Reason, Relativity, and responsibility in computer ethics. Generally Moor points out that the computer revolution has great impact on human lives, it can be positive and negative. But most of it are positive, it changed our way of living. Most solid example of this is the way of communication. People used the world wide web to connect to different kinds of people across the globe. Moor also mentioned that there was a time when America On-line offered free connection at a flat rate to their users, because they’re overwhelmed with the number of people using the net.

According to Moor aspects of the computer revolution will continue to spring up in unpredictable ways- in some cases causing us considerable grief. Therefore, it is extremely important to be alert to what is happening. Because the computer revolution has the potential of having major effects on how we lead our lives, the paramount issue of how we should control computing and the flow of information to serve us to our mutual benefit.

He also discussed logical malleability and informational enrichment, he said that computers are logically malleable. This means that computer is manipulated to do any activity from inputs, outputs, and connecting logical operations. The statement of James Moor that computers are logical malleable is true, it can do anything such that it is controlled by a human being and it satisfies the user. That’s why computers are revolutionary, it can’t be revolutionary of these computers are not flexible enough to perform different kinds of activities. Informational enrichment, it is said to be that computers can be updated/upgraded so that it can satisfy the needs of users, once these computers are updated it’s performance will become better even. This makes computer systems informationally enriched, process of conception and activities makes the information more meaningful.

Another topic is about special nature of computer ethics. Moor discussed that computer ethics has two parts:
Analysis of the nature and social impact of computer technology
The corresponding formulation and justification of policies for the ethical use of such technology

Before formulating policies of course we still have to analyze and justify that policy, whether it will benefit the people, whether it is useful or acceptable to the people that will be affected by such policy. And in addition to that before formulating policy the person must understand the situation first before jumping into conclusions and take certain action about it. if the person understands the situation then he/she can now formulate the policy. I agree with this that a person must first understand the situation before taking any actions about it. Nobody can take actions on a certain issue/situation if he/she don’t know the real story about it.

This applies to everything not just in formulation of policies, people keep on doing this that’s the problem now a days. They keep on doing actions that they don’t know what effect can it to do others.

Since computers are logically malleable computer professionals will continue to formulate and adopt policy vacuums such that it will protect the users and prevent possible problems.

What I have learned:

I have learned that computers are logically malleable and informationally enriched, with these characteristics of computers it tends to be more revolutionary and can grow in many ways. Revolutionary in a sense that it allows new technology, new methods, new implementation, and new innovation to be adopted on computer systems.

Integrative Questions:

Who is James Moor?
Why did he said computers are revolutionary?
What do you mean by logically malleable?
What do you mean by informationally enriched?
What are the do parts of computer ethics?